With summer in full swing, people are hitting the road and still traveling. How can you get out of the house and travel safe during Covid-19? The safest thing to do is to put travel plans on hold. However, for those people who are going to travel, experts agree that traveling by car is a safer option.
Plan your route
Ideally avoid hot spots where there are a lot of Covid-19
cases. Select areas where there is not a lot of local transmission. When
considering your destination, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) suggests asking:- Whether COVID-19 is spreading in your community or the area you’re visiting. If so, you may have a higher chance of becoming infected or infecting others.
- If you or a loved one who is returning home has an underlying condition that might increase the risk for complications from the disease.
- If you’ll be able to maintain a 6-foot distance between yourself and others during travel and at your destination.
- Whether the destination requires that visitors quarantine themselves for 14 days upon arrival.
There are other things to take into consideration also. Will
a mask be required on your journey or at your destination? Are there local
business closures you need to be aware of? If needed, is there suitable medical
care available?
Pack a ‘toolkit’
Good hygiene on the road is much like at home but you’ll
want to be extra vigilant when stopping at high-traffic destinations. The best
ways to limit your exposure include using the following:- Wear a mask
- Hand sanitizer
- Disinfecting wipes or paper towels
- Disposable gloves
- Sealable disposable plastic bags
- Tissues
When you’re indoors or unable to distance from people by 6
feet wear your mask. Bring your own snack and drinks but if you stop to buy them,
use hand sanitizer before and after going into the store. Use disinfecting
wipes as needed and gloves when pumping gas. Avoid paying with cash. Use the
same hygiene rules as you would at home by washing hands frequently and avoid
touching your face.
Call ahead for services
Many chain hotels are open but call ahead to be sure. Ask if
they are following safety and disinfectant protocols. Limit the amount of
people in your room by requesting no housekeeping services. Other places you’ll
want to research include any tourist destinations you’re hoping to see and
local restaurants. In many places restaurants are limited to take-out or drive-thru
only, instead of dining in. Lots of smaller restaurants and businesses may be
closed.
Locally, most restaurants are open for dine in but at
limited capacity. Nearly all of them offer curb-side pickup now too.
Drive careful
Even though there may be less traffic on the road, there is
still a chance of a vehicle accident especially if you drive distracted,
drowsy, or you lack experience. Overall traffic fatalities are up during quarantine
because of speeding and reckless driving.
Palouse Driver Safety urges you to obey speed limits and
practice defensive driving by bucking up, designate a sober driver, avoid fatigue,
and avoid distractions.
